Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad

This vegetarian roasted sweet potato kale salad features maple-candied pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and a homemade creamy tahini maple dressing. It’s sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy. It keeps well in the fridge (for up to 3 days), so it’s perfect for meal prep, leftovers, making ahead, potlucks, and holiday gatherings!

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Keyword roasted sweet potato salad, sweet potato kale salad

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 677kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

1 large sweet potato (or 2 medium) peeled and cut into ½” cubes
3 tablespoons cooking oil any kind works well
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Candied Pecans

1 ½ cups pecan halves
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

Tahini Maple Dressing (Makes approximately 1 cup)

¼ cup tahini
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
¼-½ cup water as needed
½ cup neutral cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil

Salad

1 bunch dinosaur kale (lacinato kale), stems removed, chopped into large pieces
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil like canola or vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup dried cranberries
4 ounces feta cheese crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, toss sweet potatoes, oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until coated. Pour onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet.

Maple Candied Pecans

While the sweet potato is roasting, heat a medium pan on medium heat with no oil. Toast the pecans for about 6-7 minutes until fragrant, occasionally moving them around so they don’t burn on one side.
Pour the maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract over the pecans and cook until the syrup begins to become sticky and thicken making sure to coat the pecans.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle with salt, stir to coat the pecans. Once coated, transfer to a plate to cool completely and harden.

Tahini Maple Dressing

Place the tahini, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic clove, salt, pepper, and water, with the oil last and on top in a measuring cup or tall glass and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste and adjust with salt or pepper.
Thin out with more water if it feels too thick.

Salad Assembly

In a large serving bowl, combine the kale, oil, salt, and pepper. Massage the kale with your hands until fully coated.
Add the cooled sweet potato, maple candied pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese randomly on top.
Drizzle with the tahini maple dressing, add salt and pepper to taste, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Sweet Potato Alternatives: Use butternut, acorn, or kabocha squash instead of sweet potatoes, following the same roasting steps.
Nut Substitutes: Swap pecans for walnuts, hazelnuts, or pine nuts.
Vinegar Option: White vinegar works in place of apple cider vinegar.
Dried Fruit Variations: Use dried figs, cherries, or blueberries instead of cranberries for a different flavor.
Cheese Swap: Goat cheese can replace feta for a similar creamy, salty contrast.
Kale Options: I used Dinasour Kale (Lacinato). Curly kale works, too, but needs extra massaging to soften its tougher texture.
Tahini Substitute: Unsalted, unsweetened peanut, almond, or cashew butter can replace tahini.
Make it Spicy: Add chili flakes to the dressing or roasted sweet potatoes for heat.
Add Fruit: Apples, pears, or persimmons pair well with this salad.
Storage Tips: Store the leftover sweet potato kale salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For the best texture, store the dressing and candied pecans separately; however, even with the dressing mixed in, the salad should stay well in the fridge because kale does not get soggy like other greens.

Nutrition